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Essay
Cultivating the Civic Architect
Rethinking Professional Practice Education in Turkish Architecture Programs
Edibe Begüm Özeren, Bahar Sultan Qurraie, Saba Sultan Qurraie & Ömer Özeren
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Contemporary architecture requires public responsibility and social awareness. However, “Professional Practice” courses at public universities in Türkiye primarily focus on technical and private sector aspects, neglecting the vital civic role of architects. Drawing on Boyer and Mitgang, Till, and Deamer, this study analyzes the learning outcomes and course content of forty Turkish public university programs based on five civic architecture themes (T1-T5: Technical/Legal, Ethics, Public Responsibility, Policy/Governance, Pedagogical Method). The findings reveal a moderate level of civic theme integration (44.94 percent on average), although significant gaps exist in policy, ethics, and a widespread knowledge transfer pedagogy. This deficiency is exacerbated by Türkiye’s unique four-year full qualification system, faculty challenges, accreditation issues, and cultural dimensions (e.g., high Uncertainty Avoidance). To address this issue, we propose a 14-week pedagogical model, the “Civic Practice Studio.” This model integrates civic responsibility with traditional knowledge, aiming to develop architects beyond mere technical training into active citizens capable of critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and community participation.

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